During the Spanish colonial period in Latin America (1521–1850) precious gold and silver were crafted into elegant jewelry then embellished with emeralds from Colombia, coral from Mexico, and pearls from Venezuela. Wanting to demonstrate their wealth and status, people were painted wearing their finest dress and elaborate jewelry. Women were adorned with tiaras, necklaces with pendants, and prominent earrings. Men proudly displayed hat ornaments, rings, watch fobs, and chatelaines with small tools similar to the modern Swiss Army knife. Priests wore gold crucifixes and rosaries while nuns had miniature paintings of the Virgin Mary and saints crafted into brooches, called nun’s badges. Inlaid and lacquered chests and boxes were used to store these luxury goods. The portraits, furniture and jewelry that are exhibited in Glitterati are from the DAM’s world-renowned Spanish colonial collection and tell the fascinating story of people and luxury possessions in the New World.

Intermixed: Food/Drink/DJ is a weekly series where on Wednesday nights throughout the summer local food and beverage purveyors are paired with DJs in MCA Café & Bar.
Showcasing the pairings of Denver’s rich food and beverage community with the innovative and impressive talent of local DJs, MCA intermixes the diverse realms of talent in this unique and enjoyable program.